The green goo slips between her fingers; a faint hint of aloe fills the steamy bathroom. Squinting into the foggy mirror, she gently applies the gel to her forehead. Obediently, she "avoids eye contact" and works her way over her laugh-lines and across her nose. She squirts an extra dollop of goo onto her fingertips and finishes smearing the mask over her skin, paying special attention to the creases around her mouth. Rinsing her hands at the sink she turns her head from side to side to make sure she didn't miss any spots. She can feel the mask drying, tightening, pulling at her skin. The lines around her eyes, her crow's feet, disappear and even the "commas" on either side of her lips diminish. Picking up the plastic bottle, she reads the directions:
Let dry completely before removing.
"Hmmm...I don't suppose I could get away with leaving it on. I look ten years younger."
She smiles into the mirror and watches as the rubbery film pulls away from the skin around her nose and mouth. Ragged air pockets remain, leaving her looking more ghoulish than glam.
"Ack. I guess not."
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Linking up with Trifecta - 192 words including the word, mask:
I remember dissolving into fits of hysteria with my mom and sis as we beautified ourselves -- rubbery goo stuck in our hair, flapping masks pulling away at our mouths and cries of pain as we inadvertently plucked our eyebrows. Oh, but our faces were so smooth!
Ha!ha!Loved the humour,especially in the last line-oh to be young again!Crisp and funny with a "dollop" of reality-apt title too:-)
ReplyDeleteThank you ... I needed a laugh today, too!
DeleteI would like to make a date in the very near future to do this again. Weren't we in a little old cabin playing cards the first time we tried this? I remember laughing so hard it hurt! And that is exactly what I need, and soon : )
ReplyDeleteYes ... if my memory serves, we were in Gunnison near a miniature golf course and I believe we have pictures of the carnage! :) Looking forward to seeing you this weekend -- shall I find some face goop?
ReplyDeleteGreat description here. I could see it all happening. Love the ghoulish humor. Btw, does that stuff really work?
ReplyDeleteThank you -- a little snapshot of our futile quest for agelessness! While the gunk definitely cleans out the pores, I'm said to say that you still have wrinkles after you're done.
DeleteI like the temptation to leave it on. I can relate to that :)
ReplyDeleteYes, if only it weren't so shiny and shellacked. Or rubbery. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHahaha Love the resigned tone at the end of this. And the goo.
ReplyDeleteThank you -- we've all stood there and hope for a miracle tonic to slow our aging. And been disappointed in the end.
Deletehaha aww that made me smile
ReplyDeleteThank you -- so glad you smiled! Mission accomplished.
DeleteHaha! I love the line about avoiding eye contact. Great job with the prompt. Thanks for linking up.
ReplyDeleteThank you -- a good mix of memories and fiction.
ReplyDelete